claud monet_vs_chuck close

 Both Claude Monet and Chuck Close were exploring paint, color and human perception. Research the work of both artists in order to;

1.       Outline the intentions of each artist.

In Claude Monet’s “water lilies”, I assume his intentions were of capturing the peaceful atmosphere around the quiet scenes and painting in a way to show emotion rather than what he sees

Whereas Chuck close would produce portraits of famous people, or his family and friends if not exactly as he sees it, an impression or maybe better.    

2.       Describe the techniques of each artist

Claude Monet: “There are two common misnomers about Monet. The first is that, as an Impressionist, Monet's paintings were done spontaneously. In fact, Monet studied his subjects intently, planned his paintings, and worked hard to achieve his results. He often painted a series of the same subject to capture the changing effects of the light, swapping canvases as the day progressed.” (http://painting.about.com/od/oldmastertechniques/a/Techs_Monet.htm)

Chuck Close: “Close paints strictly from photos, transferring the photo on to canvases that are typically three meters high. He uses grids to transfer images from photographs to the canvas, enhancing details along the way to create a shockingly lifelike image. His earlier work captured the photographic feel. He even went as far as to blur out things farther away from the face the way the lens blurs out the background in a photo.” (http://library.thinkquest.org/C0118063/time/close.htm)

Claude Monet demonstrates a free expressive painting style. Seen with the brush strokes & the calm colors on “Bordighera". But Chuck Close demonstrates a style of painting which seems decorative. Girding or blurring a face. An early Photoshop edition?

3.       Find 2 quotes about each artists work, and reference them correctly.

"As for the colors I use, what's so interesting about that ? I don't think one could paint better or more brightly with another palette. The most important thing is to know how to use the colors. Their choice is a matter of habit. In short, I use white lead, cadmium yellow, vermilion, madder, cobalt blue, chrome green. That's all." - Claude Monet

“One day Boudin said to me, "Learn to draw well and appreciate the sea, the light, the blue sky." I took his advice.” - Claude Monet

“I did some pastels and I did other pieces in which there was just basically one color per square, and then they would get bigger and I could get 2 or 3 colors into the square, and ultimately I just started making oil paintings.” - Chuck Close

“I think most paintings are a record of the decisions that the artist made. I just perhaps make them a little clearer than some people have.” - Chuck Close

4.       Note 3 similarities of the work of both artists.

The main similarity was of there fine eye for detail. Both Monet & Close demonstrate such technique. Also the interest in there subject matters. Claude Monet was also ex-caricaturist. A person whom does portraiture like Chuck Close. And also the similarities between there use of color.

5.       What are some differences between the artist's works. (at least 3)

The style of painting is of different uniqueness. Also there subject and specific process of production. Monet paints via emotion whereas Close would produce Photoshop like pictures.

There choice of subject: Monet’s work is of mainly nature and outdoors, whereas Close prefers portraits of family and friends.

6.       Describe your response to the work of both artists.

Immaculate painting techniques. Both techniques were of own uniqueness. I liked both the artists work. It was just 2 different artists with minor similarities. Like two different cars. They both got chairs, etc. but then there’s something Monet will have that Close lacks & vise versa;   

Reference list

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ma-Mo/Monet-Claude.html

(http://www.intermonet.com/colors/)

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/chuck_close.html#ixzz1NqSG1wCV

http://www.intermonet.com/oeuvre/bordig.htm

http://www.monetartprints.net/monet_biography.html

Eiffel vs Guggenheim

The Eiffel Tower and the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao have both been described as significant

Architectural constructions of their time. The Eiffel Tower has been described as;

 'a symbol of technological prowess' (www.tour- eiffel.com/)

and the Guggenheim museum has been 'hailed as the most important structure of its time'

(www. guggenheim.org/bilbao )

Research both architectural structures in order to comment on;

-the importance of the design and construction

-significance of the materials

-significance of the designer

-function for which each was built

-function now-has it changed?

Compare the two architectural structures, by noting their similarities and differences.

Gustave Eiffel, the renowned structural engineer responsible for designing the Eiffel Tower. A hounoric symbol thought to commemorate the French revolution in 1889. (http://www.worldgreatestsites.com/eiffel_tower.htm) (http://www.everydayguide.com/importance-of-the-eiffel-tower/) Mass produced from “7,000 metric tons of puddling iron”( https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/AboutUs/GotMaterials/Buildings/patel.html), this master piece overlooks Paris like a compass. Initially made in honor of the 100^th year of the French revolution, nobody knew its main purpose until it was up for demolishment. “But its main purpose remains until the present, which is as a radio transmitter. If it was not revealed that it could be a radio transmission tower, the Eiffel may not be around this day.”

 (http://www.everydayguide.com/importance-of-the-eiffel-tower/)

Frank O. Gehry, world famous architect renown for his concept of style which “explores the possibilities &inherent both in the methods of constructing and assembling architecture”, (http://architect.architecture.sk/frank-owen-gehry-architect/frank-owen-gehry-architect.php)  is whom to blame for the discovery of the Guggenheim Bilbao. The titanium skinned orthogonal shapes, alongside the twisted lines is what gives people the Gehry abstract effect that blew away architects and spread visual pleasure world wide. The main purpose of the museum was to “revitalize” the city of Bilbao. Similar to the Eiffel tower, when it was complete, not only did it revive the city of Bilbao but also the Bilbao economy. (http://ijz.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.177/prod.65)

“The composition continues a curvaceous, free-form sculptural style that has become a Gehry signature. The abstract, free-form components of this style were present in the early Gehry House, and a similarly sleek curvaceous cladding was displayed in the sculptural fish of the Fishdance Restaurant”.( http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Guggenheim_Bilbao.html)

Industrialization - To introduce an industry into an area (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/industrialization)

This is relevant nowadays and to the subject, due to the placement of the two buildings into the two areas. This resulted in both the buildings becoming industries within there own right. For example, the Eiffel tower. When production was of completion, restaurants were introduced to maintain the towers income. And the Guggenheim maintains tourism within its grasp to preserve what is said to be “Instantly hailed as the most important structure of its time”( http://www.guggenheim.org/bilbao)

Two different designers, created two different pieces. In comparison, they are merely, “brothers from different mothers”

Reference list

http://www.paris-france-vacation.com/eiffel-tower-history.html

http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/?idioma=en

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bleiffeltower.htm

 https://engineering.purdue.edu/MSE/AboutUs/GotMaterials/Buildings/patel.html

http://www.everydayguide.com/importance-of-the-eiffel-tower/

http://www.magicaljourneys.com/Spain/spain-interest-northern-basquecountry-bilbao-guggenheim.html

http://architect.architecture.sk/frank-owen-gehry-architect/frank-owen-gehry-architect.php

( http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/titanium/overview.php)

http://ijz.cgpublisher.com/product/pub.177/prod.65

ron_mueck

Ron Mueck has become internationally recognized for his unique sculptures, which replicate the human figure with unrivalled technical skill. His work has a powerful psychological range, focusing not only on universal experiences like birth, life and death but on emotional states such as isolation, fear and tenderness. His startling manipulations of scale are key to our experience of each work.

Mueck's work showed at the Christchurch Art Gallery from the end of 2010 through to January 2011. Research Mueck's sculpture in order to answer the following questions;



1. Mueck's sculpture is described as 'hyper-real'. Define the meaning of this term and apply it to his work.

Hyper-real, the exaggeration in comparison to reality. (www.dictionary.com) which I think Mueck demonstrates with his oversized, models that produce the diminutive detail of the human body, but play with scale to create his confusingly immaculate sculptures which are adored world-wide.

2. Mueck is not interested in making life size sculpture. Find out why he is more interested in working with the scale of the figure which is not life size, and mention 2 works which use Scale that is either larger or smaller than life.

In reality, whenever something extra large or extra small is presented, it seems to draw more attention as would something normal sized. Demonstrated in his work, “Boy” and “couple”, these two pieces were of different scale but drew perpetual attention to his shows. “Mueck's huge 4.5m crouching Boy was the centerpiece of the Millennium Dome in London and of the Venice Biennale in 2001.” (http://www.oddee.com/item_95063.aspx)

3. Define Renaissance Humanism, and analyze the term in order to apply it to an example of Mueck's work. Note that the contemporary definition of Humanism is much broader than the Renaissance definition.

Humanism is a system thought that considers human beings rather than the church, as able to decide their own morals, truths and behaviors. (Resource book) Associated in his work, is the truth of how humans really look. With the precise detail, it shows all imperfection society edits so that the cover girl of next month’s subscription to Vogue is stick-skinny. With Mueck’s work, it makes the birth of a baby seem disgusting, rather than how many would describe as cute. Despite the scale, Mueck makes nothing but the truth, and makes everything as he sees it. And with the attention-seeking scale, it is not hard to get the message across.

4. Research and discuss one of Mueck's sculptures that you might find challenging or exciting to experience in an art gallery. Describe the work, upload an image of the work, and explain your personal response to the work. Comment on other student blogs to develop the discussion around the variety of our own personal and individual responses to art and design.

“Boy”, a 4.5m sculpture of a boy crouching, semi-naked with his eyes staring with mere innocence. Despite his palms being slightly out of proportion, visual pleasure and amazement is witnessed. Not only did this piece challenge my thoughts as to how he’d put it together but also why it was his eyes were doodling to the left. The way his mouth is covered by his arms and how his eyes are staring at me, it gave me the impression of innocence but then quiet-manipulative at the same time. Gollum-like (from Lord of the Rings) having a sculpture like this in a gallery will change the atmosphere in a good way and change the way people look at little boys.

Reference List

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/816457/ron_mueck_australian_hyperrealist_sculptor/

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/816457/ron_mueck_australian_hyperrealist_sculptor/?fb_xd_fragment#?=&cb=f13f91dcb851e17&relation=parent.parent&transport=fragment&type=resize&height=611&ackData[id]=1

christchurchartgallery.org.nz/exhibitions/ron-mueck/

(http://www.oddee.com/item_95063.aspx)

http://www.chilloutpoint.com/featured/ron-muech-hyper-realist-sculptor.html

barbara_kruger

Barbara Kruger has been described as a feminist, conceptual and a pop artist.

Her work reflects her interest in graphic design, photography, poetry and writing.

Research Kruger's work in order to answer the following questions;

Describe the 'style' that Kruger has used in the two presented works.

In the artworks, Kruger has demonstrated her pass graphical skills. In the two pieces, there is a similarity between the bold texts which roughly masks a ¼ of the image. (“I shop therefore I am.”) In addition to this, the bare, plain color schemes she used in her works, gives me the impression of an “80’s advertisement”. Especially with the bold, centered text, she could also/maybe trying to accomplish a poster with a meaningful message regarding criticism of sexism. 

What are some of the concepts and messages that Kruger is communicating in them?

“I shop, therefore I am” is a materialistic phrase, infrequently used to describe the happiness found in shopping. The other piece “Face It”, I think implies that, you don’t need luxurious garments to craft a beautiful person or expensive clothes to feel rich. Inferior. Both her pieces consist of basic color schemes and phrases which emphasize criticism and feminism. 

 

Do these images communicate these ideas effectively? Explain your answer.

Barbara Kruger’s images communicate effectively. I think, the way the text is formatted is also an influence on the message Kruger is trying to put through her work. The Boldness of the black/red text on the white strips screams urgency, with the “in your face” sense.

Define the concept of Mercantilism and explain how these two examples can connect with the concept.

Mercantilism: (American Heritage Dictionary) the practice, methods, or spirit of merchants; commercialism. In the two examples, “I shop, therefore I am” and “Face It”, demonstrate the basic meaning of mercantilism. Due to the fact that graphic art was made to be sold, therefore Kruger has decided to use graphical medium to emphasize the message of shopping. This is relevant nowadays because of how shopping has become more of a hobbie rather than a chore.

Upload a more recent example of Kruger's work where she has used a new medium that is not graphic design. Title your image of the chosen work and comment on your response to the work. How do you think the audience would experience this work?

I have chosen “Twelve,” an intellectual piece of work that associates four wall “conversations that turn on personal relationships –between couples, with children, among friends– and on more general and mundane themes.”  Each character’s face fills a wall as they usually verbalize each other.

                Experiencing this work, would be of standing in a theatre play, with the stage filled with the actor emotions and experiencing the story first hand, rather than hearing it from someone alse.

Reference List

http://www.arthistoryarchive.com/arthistory/feminist/Barbara-Kruger.html                                            

http://www.answers.com/topic/mercantilism

American Heritage Dictionary

http://architettura.it/files/20041030/index_en.htm